University of Minnesota researchers have found that more and more young people are suffering from high blood pressure, but they're not doing much to address it.
"You won't know if your blood pressure is high without checking it."
Pretty simple, right? But University of Minnesota medical school neurologist Dr. Hathen Hussain says it's proven to be difficult to get young peopke. who have high blood pressure, to take action.
Hussain says he's happy that the state has laucnched a new program to encourage people to get home devices, and he says it is important to use them, and check often.
"The studies have shown that when people take charge of their own blood pressure, and they're checking it at home, and they know where it's supposed to be, they are more successful in controlling the blood pressure," Hussain adds.
The Minnesota Department of Health is joining in that call for people to check their blood pressure. It's become known as the “silent killer” because many remain unaware of their condition until serious complications arise.
Around one in three, or in Minnesota almost 1.4 million people report having high blood pressure. In 2022, hypertensive diseases were listed as the underlying or contributing cause of death for 14,225 Minnesotans, representing almost 28% of all deaths.
"A person might know that they have high blood pressure and their doctor gave them a medicine for it, and they go home and they take the pill, and they assume that now their blood pressure is good," Hussain explained. "But we don't know if we do not check because sometimes the dose is not high enough."
Hussain also adds high blood pressure is a bigger problem for people of color, and that is in part why the University of Minnesota is encouraging everyone to check it regularly.
After adjusting for differences in age, 35% of Black or African American Minnesotans reported high blood pressure, compared to 28% of Minnesotans overall according to data from 2023.